Package making machine



sept. 6, 193s. F E mcKFRD 2,128,982

PACKAGE MAKING MACHINE I original Filed sep-t. 21, 1954 5 sheets-sheet 1 y nventor Heder/ck E. ic/(frd Sept.v 6, 1938. F. E. BlcKFoRD PACKAGE MAKING MACHINE Original Filed Sept. 21, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Gttornegs Sept. 6, 1938. F. E. BlcKFoRD PACKAGE MAKING MACHINE .original Filed sept. 21, v19am 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTDRNEYS INvEN-ron Fre derde/r ,E Bic'ford wmf ,f ...mw w, F5 l i ATN L m u n E @ma sx e s..

.mld 22 Sept. 6, 1938. F. E. BlcKFoRD PACKAGE-MAKING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 :Snventor Original Fild Sept. 2l, 1934 Gttornegs Sept. 6, 1938. F. E. BICKFORD PACKAGE MAKING MACHINE Original Filed Sept. 21, 1934 54 Sheets-Sheet 5 Snnentor Freu/@mdf E 5`0ford foga/Jy (Ittornegs Patented Sept. 6, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PACKAGE MAKING MACHINE Frederick E. Bickford, Rye, N. Y.

Original application September 21, 1934, Serial gust 17, 1937, Serial No. 159,463

18 Claims.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine for making the containers of cellophane or like materials which shallhave suillicent rigidity to maintain their shapes while empty.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for making bottles, jars, and like con- Cil tainers from thin, pliable, flexible material.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear when the following description is read in connection with the annexed drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a package shape for forming a package having a plurality of sides;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the 4continuation of the package shape shown in Fig. 1,

, showing particularly how it is cut before being formed;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the carriers which form the package referred to in connection with Figs. 1 and 2; showing hinged carriers, similar to the carriers I0 of Fig. 1 of the original application mentioned above; f l

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the apparatus of Fig. 3 at a slightly earlier stage in its movement;

Fig. 5 is a side view, partly in section, of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3 with the shaping members coming into engagement therewith;

Fig. 6 isa side view, partly in section, of the apparatus shown in Fig. 4 illustrating the shaping members coming into engagement therewith;

Fig. I is a sectional view along the lines 1-1 of Fig. 4;

Fig; 8 is a section along the lines 8-8 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a section along the lines 9-9 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 10 is a section along the lines |0|0 of Fig. 5; f

Fig. 1l is a diagrammatic view illustrating the operation of the apparatus shown in Figs. 3 and 5 and 9 and 10;

Fig-121s a continued diagrammatic view showing the applicaiton of a cover sheet to this typeA of package, which is accomplished in the same manner as with the package for which the apparatus 'is shown in the drawings;

Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic view of a modif-"led Divided and this application Auform of the arrangements shown in Figs. 1 and 2 illustrating an openwork construction without transverse reinforcing strips;

Fig. 14 is a view, partly in section, illustrating the formation of a bottle in a modified form 5 of my invention; the neck and shoulder of the bottle may be of molded, plastic material;

Fig. 15 is a similar view at a later stage in the operation;

Fig. 16 is another view showing the application of a cover sheet to complete the bottle;

Fig. 17 is a view showing diagrammatically the cover sheet and end aps secured; and

Fig. 18 is a plan view of Fig. 17. Figs. 1 to 10 ofthe drawings illustrate a form of the invention in which a container of hexagonal shape is made.

secured together and supplied with longitudinal reinforcing strips similar to the strips 3 ofFig. 1 of the copending application mentioned above. These strips are then supplied with additional cross strips 40 by apparatus described in the copending application and illustrated at D in Fig. 1 of that application, and likewise in Figs. 15D to 20D thereof. In this case the cross strips 40 are applied before ythe container blanks are cut. The blanks may be cut out by any suitable means, such as that illustrated as the cutting member in Fig. 1 of the copending application. In this case the material is cut as illustrated in Fig. 2, the cuts being along the lines indicated on the material which is omitted and also by the lines |25. The longitudinal strips 3 are scored down their centers, as f-.ldicated at |26 (Figs. l

and 2).

The material is then folded up along of a hexagonal container. there are five such sections.

It will be noted that On being folded up they form ve sides of the container, leaving the top open so that the container may be filled with material and the sixth side applied after it is filled. End tabs |21 fold over the ends of the container so formed and are adhered .to the tabs |28 which are folded in to form the surface to which the tabs |21 may adhere.

The sides and -ends of the package or container material are folded up by apparatusillustrated in Figs. 3 to l0. In this case the shaping Tnembers, similar to those indicated at E (Fig. l) of the copending application, cooperate with the carriers to shape the package.

In Figs. 4 and 6 the package material is shown on a carrier just before it engages one ci' the shaping members.

right to left, successive stages in the operation of shaping a container. The first step is to fold up the inner hinged sections I0 I, best illustrated in Fig. 7 This is accomplished by means of rollers which engage cam surfaces I3I. 'Ihe rollers are mounted on levers |32 (Fig. 8) having a surface |33 which engages the bottom of the inner hinged sections |0I. Gravity tends to restore these sections after portion |33 of lever |32 is removed. As the carriers I0 continue their movement to the point at which cross section of Fig. 9 is taken, it will be seen from that figure that the rollers |30 continue to ride along the cam surfaces |3| until surface |33 engages the under surfaces of arm |35 (Fig. 9) which are attached to the outer hinged sections |29 of the carriers I0. These sections are accordingly folded up as shown in Fig. 10. `Thin leaf springs |36 are provided which help to restore the inner hinged sections |0| when the levers |32 have been removed.

The surface |31 of lever |32 keeps the inner lone on either side of the carrier.

hinged section in position while the ksurface |33 is engaging arms |35.

As this folding operation is being performed the shaping members have come into engagement with the hinged sections and are supplying a mold around which the material is being folded. These molding or shaping members have eight hinged plates |38 which are hinged at |39 to a sleeve and at |40 to a collar mounted on a shaft I4I. ment with the carriers I0 the hinged points |39 and |40 are forced toward one another. This movement is resisted by movement of springs |42 which cause the plates |38 to withdraw to` their original position whenthe molding members are withdrawn. The upper plates |38 are acted upon by springs |43, best shown in Figs. 5 and 6. This causes the upper pair of plates to spread apart at the same time that the lower pair of plates spread apart. As the carriers and shaping members progress in their movement hinged plates |38 successively assume the positions shown in Figs. 8 to 10. At the same time the hinged sections of the carriers I0 are being folded up in the manner already described, as illustrated lin the same figures, so that the container material is folded along the scoring lines |26 to form five sides of the ultimate container.

As this is occurring the material 4 creeps outward towards the edges of the hinged sections |29 due to the fact that the hinged sections of the carriers I0 are pivoted below the surface of those,

carriers.

From Fig. 8 it Will be noted that the suction ports |44 are closed at this point so that no suction is applied to the two outer hinged sections, At Fig. 9 the suction ports |44 have made contact with the passages |45 so that at this point, Where the paper need do no further creeping along the two inner hinged sections, the suction is applied to those sections. It will be further noted from Fig. 9 that the suction ports |46 are still closed at this point; but, from Fig. 10 itl will beseen, that at this point the suction ports |46 have come into communication with the channels |41 and apply a's'uction to the, outer hinged sections.

When the sides have been completelyfolded up, as shown in Fig. 10, the outer ends `of eachof vthe two outer strips3 are projecting beyond the carrier. 'I'hese portions engage fingers 4 |48 mounted on arms |49 and are folded down to form tabs vor aps to which the sixth side of the package, or cover, may be secured. The cover As the shaping members come into engage` applying mechanism may be the same as that shown in Fig. 3 of the above mentioned co-pending application.

As the side hinged sections have-been folding up as described the end hinged sections |50 (Fig. 3) of the carriers have also been folding up. Prior to the time when these end sections are folded against the ends of the container, however, fingers |5I (Fig. 7) fold over the end tabs of the package to form the surface which is to adhere to the end pieces |21. This lis accomplished by means of rollers |53 (Fig. 3) which engage cam surface |54 and actuate the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 7. The rollers actuate racks |55, which in turn rotate pinions |56. The pinions |56 operate through suitable gears to engage the teeth of gears |51 on which the fingers |5| are mounted. Fingers I5| are accordingly moved upward and fold in tabs |28. II'he fingers I5I may be seen indicated partially in dotted lines in Fig. l0, where the end tabs |28 are shown folded down. These fingers are shaped in the manner illustrated in order to permit the end hinged sections |50 to catch the end tabs |28 before the lingers are entirely withdrawn. The end tabs |28 or the end pieces |21 may be supplied with adhesive by suitable apparatus, not shown, to cause them to adhere to each other.

' Additional rollers |58 (Fig. 3) are secured to arms |59 and slide in bearings |60 and |6|. These arms terminate in a rack, as shown in Fig. 7. They are actuated by cam surfaces |62 (Fig. 3), which are arranged slightly further along in the travel of the carriers than the surfaces |54. The arms |59 operate to turn up the hinged sections |50 and the end pieces |21 thereon. It will thus be seen that these sections are turned up after the fingers |5| have folded down the tabs |28.

Secured between a collar |63 and bearing |6| is a spring |64 which assures that the arms |59 are returned to their original position' when the rollers I 58 leave the cam surfaces |62. Springs |65 (Fig. 7) are provided to return the fingers |5I to their normalpos'ition. When the arms |59 are actuated by the cam surfaces |62 the rack at the end of that arm operates a pinion |66 to move lever |61 against depending arms |68 which are hinged to the end sections |50. 'Ihe end sections are 'accordingly folded up so that the end tabs I 21 come in contact with the tabs 28.

In Fig. 11 there is illustrated diagrammatically the operation which has just been described in connection with Figs. 3, 5 and 9, 10. -Here it will be seen that as the package travels from right to left of the figure the sides are first folded up,

, the tabs |28 are then folded in, and then the end tabs |21 are folded up over the end tabs |28.

In Fig. 12 is shown a continued diagrammatic view of the development of a package or container formed by the operations illustrated in Fig. 1l. Fig. 12 shows a cover sheet being applied to the package and the end tabs of the cover sheet being turned down over the ends of the package.

From the above it will be understood that the container may be filled and the cover applied to complete the package either -during the original machine operations or at a subsequent time in a separate machine.

In Fig. 13 is illustrated another arrangement of the sheets of cellophane or other similar material to form a container o'r package. In this ligure is shown a sheet from which diamond shaped sections have been cut for decorative,

` strengthening, or other purposes.l

In Figs. 14 through 18 are shown apparatus for forming a bottle in accordance with the present invention. The operation of the mechanism shown in these gures is similar to that already described and will be obvious from that description. Here a bottle head 226, which may be made of molded plastic material, is applied to one end of. the package instead of covering that end with with flap |21. The hinged section ||llEL operates in the same manner as the end hinged section |50. The bottle heads 226 are automatically placed in position by mechanism not shown. The end tabs |28 are folded down over the shoulder of the bottle head 226 and secured thereto by means of an adhesive which has been applied to that portion of the head. Padded fingers Iii!8L fold down these tabs in the manner similar to that which the fingers |5| fold in the tabs |28. The cover sheet 245 is then supplied, as illustrated in Fig. 16, and its ends are turned down and secured to the rest of the container, as shown in Figs. 17 and 18.

Obviously an annular ring may be supplied in place of the bottle head for forming jar-like containers.

While the preferred embodiments of my invention have been described herein it is to be understood that the scope of my invention is not dened by that description but is to be limited solely by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for making containers of thin pliable material comprising a plurality of hinged sections parallel to one another, means for applying thin pliable container forming material to said sections, means for causing said material to be held to said sections, and means for turn` ing up said sections to form a polygonal container of said material.

2. A container making machine comprising a plurality of hinged sections parallel to one another, means for applying container making material to said sections, means to cause said material to be held to said sections, means for turning up said sections to form the body of a polygonal container, additional sections hinged about axes perpendicular tothe axes of said first sections, means for applying container material to said last mentioned sections, means to cause said material to be held to said sections, and means to turn up said sections to form ends for said container.

3. In a container making machine in combination a plurality of hinged sections parallel to one another, means for applying container making material to said sections, means to cause said material to be held to said sections, hinged shaping members adapted to be extended to the desired container shape, means for turning up said sections about said extended shaping members to form a polygonal container, and means for collapsing said shaping members and removing the collapsed structure from said container.

4. In a container making machine, in combination, a plurality of hinged sections parallel to one another, means for applying container making material to said sections, means to cause said material to be held to said sections, hinged to cause said material to be held to said sections, and means to turn up said sections to form ends for said container.

5. In a container making machine, in combination, a plurality of hinged sections parallel to one another, means for applying container making material to said sections, means to cause said material to be held to said sections, hinged shaping members adapted to be extended to the desired polygonal container shape, means for turning up said sections about said extended shaping members to form the `body of a polygonal container, additional sections hinged on axes perpendicular to the axes of said rst mentioned sections, means for applying container making material to the last mentioned sections, means to cause said material to be held to said sections, means to turn up said sections to form ends for said container, and means to adhere said'ends to the body of said container.

6. A machine for making containers of thin pliable material comprising an odd number of hinged sections parallel to one another, means for applying container making material to said sections, means to cause said material to be held to said sections, and means for successively turning up sections on opposite sides of the central section in pairs to form a polygonal container.

7. A machine for making containers of thin pliable material comprising `an odd number of hinged sections parallel to one another, means for applying container making material to said sections, means to cause said material to be held to said sections, means for successivly turning up sections on opposite sides of the central section in pairs to form the body of a polyg onal container, additional sections hinged about axes perpendicular to the axes of said first mentioned sections, means for applying container making material to said last mentioned sections, means to cause said material to be held to said sections, and means toA turn up said sections to form ends for said containers.

8. In a' container making machine, in combination, an odd number of hinged sections parallel to one another, means for applying container making material to said sections, means to cause said material to be held to said sections, a hinged shaping member comprising a plurality of sides equal to the number of sections, means for lowering said shaping member to register its central side with the central one of said'sections and with the central portion of said material, means for extending said shaping member to the desired container shape, and means for successively turning up pairs of opposite sections about said extended shaping member to form a polygonal container from said material.

9. In a container making machine, in combination, an odd number of hinged sections parallel to one another, means for applying container making material to said sections, means to cause said material to be held to said sections, a hinged shaping member comprising a` plurality of sides equal to the number of sections, means for lowering said shaping member to register its central side with the central one of said sections and with the central portion of said material, means for extending said shaping member to the desired container shape, means for successively turning up pairs of opposite sections about said extended shaping member to form a polygonal container, and means for collapsing said structure from the formed container.

10. In a container making machine, in combination, an odd number of hinged sections parallel to one another, means for applying container making material to said sections, means to cause said material to be held to said sections, a hinged shaping member comprising a plurality of sides equal to the number of sections, means for lowering said\shaping member to register its central side withlthe central one of said sections and with the central portion of said material, means for extending said shaping member to the desired container shape, means for successively turning up pairs of opposite sections about said extended shaping member to form the body of a polygonal container, additional sections hinged about axes perpendicular to the axes of said first mentioned sections, means for applying container making material to said last mentioned sections, means to cause said material to be held to said sections, means to turn up said last mentionedA sections to form ends on said container body, and means for collapsing said shaping member and removing it from the container.

11. In a container making machine, in combination, an odd number of hinged sections parallel to one another, means for applying container making material to said sections, means to cause said material to be held to said sections, a hinged shaping member comprising a plurality of sides equal to the number of sections, means for lowering asid shaping member to register its central side with the central one of said sections an-d with the central portion of said material, means for extending said shaping member to the desired container shape, means for successively turning up pairs of opposite sections about said extended shaping member to form the body of a polygonal container, additional sections hinged about axes perpendicular to the axes of said rst mentioned sections, means for applying container making material to said last mentioned sections, means to cause said material to be held to said sections, means to turn up said last mentioned sections to form ends on said container body, means for adhering said ends to said container body, and,

means for collapsing said shaping member and removing it from said container.

12. A machine for making a bottle of thin pliable material having n sides comprising means for applying the neck and shoulders of a bottle in position, means for folding 1L1 sides of said material around said shoulder, means for applying a cover sheet to the other side and sealing said sides and cover sheet to said shoulder, and means for applying a bottom to said bottle and sealing the same thereto.

13. A machine for forming a container of thin pliable material having n sides, comprising means for positioning an n sided annular ring for operations thereon, means for folding n-l sides of said material around said ring, means for applying a cover sheet to the other side and sealing said sides and cover sheet to said ring, and means l for applying a. bottom to said container and sealing the same thereto.

14. A machine for making containers of thin pliable material comprising a plurality of hinged sections parallel to one another, means for supplying vacuum through the hinges to said sections for registering the container material with said sections, and means for turning up said sections to form a polygonal container.

15. A machine for making containers of thin pliable material comprising a plurality of parallel sections hinged together by hinges having passages therein and having valves between sections, means for supplying suction through said hinges to said sections for registering the container material with said sections, means for turning up said sections to form a polygonal container, and means to open said valves and increase the suction on each section as that section is folded up.

16. A machine for making a bottle of thin pliable material having n sides, comprising n-l hinged sections parallel to one another, means for applying container making material tosaid sections, means for causing said material to be held to said sections, means for applying the neck and shoulders of a bottle in position, means for folding said sections to fold the sides of the material around said shoulder, means for applying a cover sheet to the remaining side and sealing said sides and cover sheet to said shoulder, and means for applying a bottom to said bottle and sealing the same thereto.

17. A container making machine, comprising a plurality of hinged sections parallel to one another, means for applying container making material to said sections, means including suction ports for causing said material to be held to said sections, and means for turning up said sections to form the body of a polygonal container, said means comprising cams and cam followers operated thereby, said followers terminating in arms which move against the under-surfaces of said sections and in contact with extensions thereof to cause said folding.

18. A container making machine, comprising a plurality of hinged sections parallel to one another, means for applying container making material to said sections, means including suction ports for causing said material to be held to said sections, means for turning up said sections to form the body of a polygonal container, said means comprising cams and cam followers operated thereby, said followers terminating in arms which move against the under-surfaces of said sections and in contact with extensions thereof to cause said folding, additional sections hinged about axes perpendicular to the axes of said first sections, means for applying container material to said last mentioned sections, and means to turn up said last mentioned sections to form ends for said container, said means comprising cams and cam followers operated thereby, said cam followers including toothed plungers cooperating with gears to cause rotation of said hinged-sections about their hinges.

FREDERICK E. BICKFORD. 

